


A Second Chance

by junko



Series: Chasing Demons [23]
Category: Bleach
Genre: Abusive Partner, Abusive Relationship, Alternate Canon, M/M, mentions of abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-12
Updated: 2012-12-12
Packaged: 2017-11-20 23:28:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,616
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/590892
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/junko/pseuds/junko
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Byakuya decides that fate had a plan when it brought him and reincarnated-Hisana together again.  Renji, meanwhile, figures fate has it out for him....</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Second Chance

Byakuya kept his back turned as Hisana dressed, even though there was a privacy curtain between them. It had been difficult to hear her tell her life story to Isshin Kurosaki, as he was calling himself. She’d been living on and working the streets before Naoki, thought she’d found relief in a powerful yakuza thug, and then had gone back to that life having tried to escape him.

Inuzuri could hardly have been much worse. 

Byakuya longed to show her the kind of life she’d had at the estate, where, though the family had been far from kind, at least there had always been a roof over her head, food in her belly, and love in her heart.

“I could teach you to defend yourself,” Byakuya said quietly, his fists still shaking after seeing the full extent of her injuries.

“Oh, yeah? You know kung-fu?”

“Hakuda,” he corrected. “Gōngfu is a Chinese art.”

“That was a joke,” she said, though she sounded tired. “A reference to ‘Matrix’? You know where Keanu Reeves says…. Never mind, it was a stretch anyway, and I forgot you were a space alien. They probably don’t have movies on your planet.”

Byakuya pressed his lips into a thin line. He wished she’d stop saying that. It made him feel intrusive, like a stranger…

…like someone who had just barged into her life and turned it upside down.

The sounds of sirens outside and shouts coming from the waiting room made Byakuya hopeful that at least Hisana would be safe for a few days, until that horrible man was released from custody and tracked her down again. The death threats, however, were not in the least bit comforting.

“When I get out, I’ll fucking kill you, Hana! You hear me, bitch!?”

From her little sob, it was clear she did.

Byakuya also heard Renji say, “I’m knocking you out again, asshole,” and the sounds of surprise as, apparently, Naoki went limp. Renji must have been close to the exam room’s door, because Byakuya heard his grumble, “You’re lucky I don’t just fucking kill you. But I don’t see how that’d fix anything, and she might not actually thank me for it.”

Because Naoki was Hisana’s husband. 

No, _Hana’s_ husband. 

Byakuya turned slightly at the sound of the curtain parting, looking at the body that held the soul he cherished. Her hair was so much longer and curlier and her face so thin that it was hard to see even a trace of Hisana… except in her eyes. They were the deep purple color of ripe plums. He wanted to reach out for her, pull the dirty strands hair from face and kiss her lips, but she didn’t know him. Byakuya was a stranger to this woman, an alien. “Do you love him? Naoki?”

“I…” she looked like she knew she shouldn’t. She sat back against the exam table and bowed her head, “He wasn’t always like this. It’s the drugs. They’ve changed him. He used to take me dancing and to plays and movies and shows. I loved that. I loved him. I still… want to love him now. Maybe, if he can get treatment….”

“I see,” Byakuya said, for what else could he? 

He wanted to ask her why she’d chosen so badly and demand that she should have waited for him, but… that wasn’t reasonable, was it? Who knew how many centuries would pass before the wheel turned for him. Her soul could hardly wait forever to love another…

…Nor could he.

Ah.

This was why fate had brought them together. 

Ever since her ghost had shown up at his bedside, Byakuya had been meaning to make a journey to the family grave. He’d been intending to write a letter--a long one, explaining everything that had happened with Rukia… with Renji.

But now, here she was, literally, in the flesh.

“Hisana,” he said, fully turning to face her. He stopped, and carefully corrected himself, “Hana, we need to talk. There’s someone I’ve been meaning to introduce to you.”

 

#

Renji had imagined a lot of scenarios about what Byakuya would say when he finally emerged from the exam room with Hisana, but this was never one of them.

“Retrieve your gigai,” Byakuya told Renji in his usual commanding tone. “Hana and I will meet you at that pancake place we passed on the way here, you remember the one?”

“Uh… yes, sir,” Renji said. Pancakes? The… fuck?

Everyone, even the loud, blustering Kurosaki seemed completely baffled by this announcement.

“The three of us need a proper talk,” Byakuya continued calmly, as though everything was perfectly normal. He turned to Urahara and Yoruichi, and said, “I’m afraid we’ll need to borrow these gigai for a few more hours. They shall be returned to you before we head back to the Soul Society.”

More stunned silence.

Then finally, Yoruichi asked the question that was on everyone’s mind, “ _‘We’?_ ”

“Renji and I,” Byakuya clarified. There was an audible, collective exhale of breath at that. Byakuya pulled the credit card from his pocket as if to show Urahara, and asked, “Should I wish to keep this active, you could make that work?”

“Uh, yes, of course,” Urahara said, sounding uncustomarily surprised. He covered it by pushing his hat down further on his head, and happily adding, “The conversion of ken to yen isn’t difficult at all. Eventually, I’d probably need a discussion with the Kuchiki accountant, but… basically, yes, for as long as you like.”

“Excellent,” Byakuya said. “Then we will be on our way.”

Sure, just like that, Renji thought grimly. What on earth was the captain thinking? And ‘talk’? Was that code for ‘I’m going to casually break up with you and announce my engagement to this human woman over bacon and eggs’? Fuck.

“Right,” Kurosaki said, dusting his hands together, as though happy to have everyone finally leaving his clinic. “But, before you folks take off, the lady here needs a few pamphlets, the card of my favorite social worker... oh, and a supply of power bars.”

 

#

Byakuya thought Renji looked decidedly uncomfortable as he slumped into the seat across from Hana. He’d left his hair down in the gigai and glared out from behind the spiky crimson curtain of it at her. Renji didn’t even look at Byakuya as he sat down heavily beside him.

Hana smiled at the large plastic bag he was carrying and said, “Oooh! Sex-a-plooza! I love that place!”

“That’s… just… incredibly awkward,” Renji muttered, shoving the bag into the space between his body and Byakuya’s on the booth, as if not wanting even their thighs to touch. Then he reached across Byakuya’s space to grab a menu from the stand behind the ketchup and mustard bottles. Renji flipped it open and propped it in front of his place as if hoping to hide behind it for the duration. 

For his part, Byakuya was pleased that Renji had finally showed up. It was a profound relief to have him by his side again. The twenty or so minutes alone with Hana had reinforced the fact that he had no real connection with the woman Hisana had become in this lifetime. They’d tried and failed at several topics of conversation and had settled into strained silence while she devoured a stack of gooey pancakes.

He truly was an alien to her. 

“Hana,” Byakuya said, prying one of Renji’s hands from the menu to hold in his own, “This is Renji, Renji Abarai.”

Beside him, Byakuya could sense Renji holding his breath. Renji gaped at where their entwined hands rested on the tabletop, and his mouth hung open slightly with shock.

“Your ghost lieutenant,” she nodded around a mouthful. “Who I guess doesn’t always have to be a ghost, huh?”

“Actually, we must,” Byakuya said. Putting his free hand on his chest, he added, “These are artifices, mere costumes. Renji and are from the land of the dead, the Soul Society. That’s where I once knew your soul.”

She nodded her head like she thought him insane. “Yeah, okay,” she said, “Sure.”

Byakuya continued, “I understand what I’m about to say will make little sense, but, for things to be right between us, I must explain.” 

Hana glanced up and set her fork down. Her eyes watching him curiously and she seemed to suddenly notice that he was holding Renji’s hand.

Byakuya paused to take a steadying breath. He’d thought through these words on the walk over to the restaurant, but they were still difficult to say out loud. He swallowed, and said, “I broke the promise I made to you. Rukia knows you’re her sister. I couldn’t bear to keep it from her any more. She needed to know. I could not have either of us die with that horrible secret hanging between us. It was killing me not to explain to her why could barely stand to look at her and, worse even, not to be able to share stories of you with the one person in my family anxious to hear them. I’m sorry, but I can’t regret my decision. You should never have asked such a thing from me or from your sister. Rukia should have understood our connection from the start; so much would have been easier on us all.”

Hana looked very confused, but Byakuya had to trust that somewhere, deep in those eyes, another soul listened.

“I have faithfully loved you since the moment we met,” Byakuya continued. At these words, he could feel Renji tensing. Byakuya lightly squeezed his hand in reassurance. “I will never stop loving you, but you’re… gone. You are here, living this life, and I must live my own as well. You will always have a piece of my heart, of my very soul, but…” Byakuya gave Renji’s hand another squeeze, “… so does this man.”

Renji made a sputtering noise.

Byakuya ignored him for the moment, and continued to speak directly to Hana, “I know you feel that I’ve abandoned you. Perhaps, in a way, I have. But, if you will allow it, I would continue to protect you as I swore to at our wedding.” He had to release Renji’s hand to fish through his pocket for the credit card, which he laid on the table in front of Hana. “Take this. Buy what you need. Set yourself up somewhere safe. Start a new life, if you wish. Or, if it’s what you truly want, use it to pay for treatment for your husband. Do with it whatever will make you happiest.”

Her eyes were wide, and she glanced between Byakuya and Renji as if unsure of what to do. “I couldn’t….” she started.

“Go on,” Renji said, putting down the menu with a snap. “He can afford it. He’s got loads of money.”

Her fingers stretched for the card, even as she said, looking at Byakuya now, “But, I don’t even know you…” 

It was true. They were strangers, but, the fact remained that this was his Hisana, somewhere, deep in side. “Please,” Byakuya insisted. “I can’t leave until I’m sure you’re fully provided for.”

“Yeah, seriously, take it,” Renji agreed, perhaps a bit eagerly. “Do me a favor, sister, take the money and run. Far, far away.”

Byakuya shot Renji a dark look, but added, “I consider this my final duty to you, Hana. I would be honored if you would accept this little gift, a token of the memory of the time we had together. Then I…” his words caught in his throat a moment before he cleared it, “I must say good-bye and wish you well.”

Renji looked at him then and gave Byakuya’s thigh a little, sympathetic pat that threatened to completely undo his careful composure. He found, in fact, he had to close his eyes. He couldn’t stand to look into the gaze that held Hisana’s soul any longer.

“Um… ok-ay,” she said, her voice small. “This is really weird, but okay. Thank you. Thank you very much.”

 

#

Hana stayed only long enough to settle the bill, leaving Renji wondering exactly what he should do now. 

Byakuya looked… crushed. Not that anyone else would see it, of course, but the slight bow of the captain’s head and the fact he hadn’t been able to do anything but stare blankly at the greasy, checkered table mat for the last few minutes was enough for Renji to understand the depth of Byakuya’s devastation. 

When the waitress came over to ask Renji if he needed anything, he ignored the growl of his stomach and shook his head. “We’re just going to hang out here a little while longer,” he explained.

“That’s fine, hon,” the waitress said. “Take your time. It won’t be busy for another couple hours.”

Once the waitress left, Renji glanced at Byakuya again, “Uh, you want some time on your own? I could take a walk, come back….”

“No,” Byakuya said quickly. 

When Byakuya didn’t offer anything else, Renji said, reassuringly, “Okay.” 

The captain would talk when he was ready to—or he wouldn’t. Regardless, Renji couldn’t help but be impressed with Byakuya’s strength. Renji knew exactly how hard it was to let someone you loved go like that. Such a small gesture, to open your hand, let go, and wish them well. But it had been one of the most difficult things he’d ever done in his life.

Byakuya was probably regretting it right now. Renji had. Even though he’d known it was the right thing to do, Renji had spent months—years--wondering if he should have said something else, gone after Rukia, begged her to stay with him… marry him. The last one would have been a shock to them both, but he’d have meant it. He loved her. 

But, ultimately, however, it was that same profound love that stopped him, made him realize that to ask her to give up her life for him was selfish. To truly love her was to let her go, become who she needed to be on her own. That her happiness was more important to him than his own.

Still sucked, though.

Renji reached across the table and took the water glass Hana/Hisana had left behind. He glanced at the melted ice, wishing he could fill the cup to the brim with a good, strong sake. 

Byakuya looked like he could use a stiff drink, too.

Too bad it wasn’t even noon.

“You know,” Renji said, taking a swallow of the ice water. “If it’s any consolation, I’m sure Urahara is going to be watching over her. He’s got some pretty whack theories about why she was able to contact you through Sode no Shirayuki, and, you know, if you wanted to check in with him from time to time….”

“No,” Byakuya said again simply, coldly. “It’s best if I never know.”

Renji glanced at Byakuya. His face was set grimly, though, without the kenseikan and in gigai, he looked young and vulnerable. Renji really wanted to wrap him in his arms, let him cry on his shoulder. But Byakuya would never allow that. So, instead, Renji said, “I’m sorry. This sucks so much, but you did the right thing.”

He looked up then, briefly. “Yes. We should go back.” He seemed to struggle with a thought for a moment, and then said, “Perhaps… you would stay with me.”

Like there was any question? “Of course. Where else would I go?” Renji let out a little laugh, “Anyway, aren't I still technically under ‘confinement’?”

“Egads,” Byakuya said with a little shake of his head. “We’re terrible.”

Renji smiled, and took his hand. “Yeah, we kind of are, Taicho.”

**Author's Note:**

> This may seem awfully fast for Byakuya, but my plan is that there will continue to be some repercussions from this moment. ByaRen is moving forward, but, despite how things may seem, the Hisana hurtle isn't cleared yet.


End file.
